IPOH, 29 Oct 2009: Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Senator Datuk T Murugiah said today he had submitted an appeal to the Registrar of Societies (ROS) on the status of his appointment as president of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) at an extraordinary general meeting last May.

Murugiah, who was expelled from the PPP in May, said the appeal was sent on 15 Oct in response to a letter from ROS for an appeal with regard to the meeting.

“Six other PPP members and I who were expelled for no reason have sent the appeal because we believe we are still members of the party. Pending the ROS decision, I will carry on as president of the party. All my 57,000 supporters will use the PPP platform pending the outcome of the appeal,” he told Bernama here.

Murugiah said he was surprised at the delay in the receipt of the ROS letter dated 26 Aug asking him to submit the appeal, adding that he had consulted his lawyer and sent the appeal.

The PPP disciplinary board had expelled Murugiah last May for having used his deputy minister’s office to hold a news conference to allegedly tarnish the party’s image.

In August, ROS confirmed Datuk M Kayveas as the PPP president. This was announced by Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, who said the confirmation was based on the election of the 2005/2010 supreme council at the PPP annual general assembly of 2 Oct 2005. — Bernama